Monthly Archives: May 2012

This past weekend I spent the unofficial beginning of summer at the Jersey Shore with my family at my parent’s beach house. Each morning my son rode his bike while my daughter pushed her baby doll in a stroller next to him as I pushed our beach cart full of “NeCeSsItiEs” up the block and a half to the beach. I couldn’t help thinking how much easier this seemed compared to the past few summers when I had to manage the beach cart and the kids in a wagon behind me. The morning of Memorial Day as my son and I were making our way up to the beach I hit a bump with the beach cart and the cart and all of its contents landed on the street. Four chairs, my beach bag, and enough sand toys for a small army scattered all over the street. My first instinct was to get my son Nicholas to stop riding his bike so that he would be safe while I picked everything back up, and then I began to collect all of our beach gear. As Nicholas and I started picking up the sand toys I noticed two young boys who were about high school age had watched the entire incident and just LooKeD at me and kept on walking. I stopped what I was doing and pointed them out to my son. I explained to him that someday he is going to be a “big boy” like they were and that he might see a Mommy who is having trouble like I was. I told him that I hoped that when he grows up he would… At that point Nicholas stopped me and finished the thought for me. He looked at me and said, “Mommy, I would help the Mommy pick everything up.”

Nicholas Memorial Day 2012

There are so many times as parents we get caught up in the busyness of the day-to-day routine that we forget to look for the moments that may have an ImPaCt on our children’s futures. I thought this teachable moment was going to show Nicholas what to do when he gets older, but what it also did was remind me that although I am SO hard on myself, I must be doing something right for my son to already know a lesson that those boys may have missed somewhere along the way.

One of my family’s TrAdiTioNs is to kick off our summer by watching the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS that honors the MiLiTaRy men and women who have served our country. It is inspiring, PaTrioTiC, and very moving. So, much so, that last year I was inspired to write a song and dedicate it to all the CoUraGeOuS men and women who so selflessly serve in the military. (I’ll share it with you on Memorial Day.)

Captain Monica Riggs, KC-135 (Stratotanker) Pilot in the KS Air National Guard.

This Memorial Day Weekend take the time to say “ThAnK-yOu” to someone who serves (or has served) our country in the military. They and their family sacrifice so much. And if you get the chance, check out the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS (airing on Sunday, May 27th at 7 p.m. central).

Major David Young – US Army ReserveDeployed to Baghdad & Iraq

Have a GrEaT weekend and HaPpY SuMmEr!!

:)

Robynn~

P.S. If you would like me to put a pic of someone you know who has served in the military, send me an email at suedesofa@yahoo.com I will try to post them today and tomorrow. Please also send their name, branch they have served in, rank, etc.

I remember when Doug and I were dating and we had to carry a heavy piece of furniture out to his truck. After we got done I told him “goOd WoRk” and he replied with “kNow YoUr RoLe”! It made me stop and think for a second…we all play a special role in every task and relationship that we experience.

As the years passed I realized that our roles cHaNgEdepending on the situation. For example, when he takes the initiative to call and schedule something for our family, it is my role to be quiet and not ask twenty questions to insure that he did it correctly. His role is to take care of the matter and it is my role to trust him. (And I know if I perform my role correctly, I will avoid potential arguments!)

Another example is in friendships. Every relationship is diFFeRent which means your role changes depending on the person you are communicating with. I LOVE to talk, BUT my role with some people is to be the sounding board. I am happy to play a different role because I know it is needed to keep that friendship strong.

Maybe you’ve never given your “role” much thought. Just remember that even though you have sTroNgqualities, sometimes you aren’t suppose to use them in every role you play. Next time ask yourself, “What is needed the most here? A cheerleader, follower, educator, volunteer, cleaner, etc.?” and take pRiDein playing the role that is NEEDEDmost!

Ever feel like you are FaiLiNg as a parent? Chances are your kids would disagree with you. There have been countless times when I have planned an activity that didn’t work out, attempted to bake brownies that came out burnt on the sides and gooey in the middle, or promised to devote uninterrupted time to my kids but got sidetracked by the phone, doorbell, email, or some other emergency that needed to be taken care of. I truly believe we Mommies are much harder on ourselves than any jury of kids would ever be.

I was reminded of this just last week when I tried out a recipe for sidewalk paint made with food-coloring and cornstarch. In my mind the paint was a total fail…it was too runny, made a giant mess, took me too long to make, and it stained the patio. If you asked my kids what they thought I guarantee they would disagree with me. They loved watching the red and blue paint turn into purple and had a BlAsT painting each others feet with this new concoction of color that Mommy made for them.

The next time you are being hard on yourself as all of us Moms do…take a look at life through the eyes and mind of your child and you will find that you too are a SuPeR MoM!

I was given a devotional a few months ago (from a very thoughtful and great friend!) and it has cHanGedmy life in so many ways. In case you are needing a spiritual boost, help with calming your anxiety, or a reminder that God has good pLaNsfor you (even if you currently don’t believe Him!), this is a book I highly recommend!

SOURCE

There is a devotion for every day and I read it every morning. The devotions are only a couple of paragraphs long–it only takes a second to read–yet it will help you ALL day long!

Here are a couple of my favorites:

January 17- “Come to Me with a Thankful Heart, so that you can enjoy My Presence. This is the day that I have made. I want you to rejoice today, refusing to worry about tomorrow. Search for all that I have prepared for you, anticipating abundant blessings and accepting difficulties as they come. I can weave miracles into the most mundane day if you keep your focus on me….”

April 16-“…When you criticize or complain, you are acting as if you think you could run the world better than I do. From your limited human perspective, it may look as if I’m mismanaging things. But you don’t know what I know or see what I see. If I pulled back the curtain to allow you to view heavenly realms, you would understand much more. However, I have designed you to live by faith, not by sight…“

This book also makes a great gift! I have purchased this book for others by going here. I also purchased it on Google Books so Doug can have it on his smartphone!